South Dublin landowners are increasingly clashing with local authorities over plans to rezone agricultural and amenity lands for housing development, a move driven by national directives to address Ireland’s ongoing housing crisis. While landowners typically seek rezoning to maximize property value, the owner of the Stepaside Golf Centre is actively opposing the designation of her land, highlighting a complex dynamic at play in the region.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is currently amending its county development plan to increase land availability for housing, following a mandate from Minister for Housing James Browne last summer. The directive requires local authorities to rezone significant land holdings to help alleviate the housing shortage. The council has identified lands around Rathmichael, Carrickmines, Kiltiernan and Stepaside – currently designated as greenbelt, agricultural, or amenity space – as potential “long-term strategic and sustainable settlement sites.”
The proposed changes have sparked significant local opposition, with over 600 submissions received by the council. A substantial two-thirds of these objections specifically target the potential housing development at the Stepaside driving range and Jamestown pitch and putt course, according to reports. Residents have voiced strong concerns, branding the proposals as “shameful,” a “travesty,” and a loss for the local community.
However, the situation at Stepaside Golf Centre is unusual. Rosa Roe, the owner of the 40-bay driving range and 18-hole par three course, has stated she has “no intention” of redeveloping the land and does not want it rezoned. This contrasts with the typical scenario where landowners petition for rezoning to facilitate sale to developers or to undertake development projects themselves.
Roe’s connection to the land is deeply rooted in family history. The property was originally a family farm, with her husband’s grandfather farming the land for many years, maintaining cattle until . Faced with the declining viability of traditional agriculture, the family chose to develop the land into a recreational facility, starting with pitch and putt and later expanding to include the golf driving range. “We didn’t want to sell – we still don’t want to sell – and we wanted to keep it in the family,” Roe explained.
The business, built over 30 years, currently employs up to 20 people, primarily from the local area. It serves as a popular amenity for schools, including Wesley College and Mount Anville, and third-level institutions like University College Dublin (UCD) and Trinity College. It also functions as a community hub, hosting groups such as car clubs.
The council previously attempted to rezone the Stepaside lands, but the proposal was narrowly defeated in a vote by county councillors. This suggests a pre-existing resistance to development on the site, even before the current housing crisis intensified pressure for land release.
Roe expressed concern about the potential consequences of rezoning, even if it doesn’t compel her to sell. “People do say to me why don’t you sell up, take the money, but I don’t really like the thought of that,” she said. She also voiced uncertainty about the council’s future actions and the potential for forced sale, stating, “I don’t think they’d be able to make us sell up, but I don’t know for sure, and none of us know what they might decide about it in the future.”
The situation highlights the challenges facing local authorities attempting to balance the urgent need for increased housing supply with the preservation of local amenities and the rights of landowners. While the Minister for Housing’s directive aims to accelerate housing development, it also risks creating conflict with landowners who have alternative visions for their properties and strong ties to the local community.
The council’s executive will now consider the submissions received on the proposed development plan variations, after which councillors will vote on whether to implement them. The outcome will likely set a precedent for similar land-use conflicts across Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County and potentially other regions grappling with Ireland’s housing crisis.
